"The Art of the Fugue"

Performing Arts & Entertainment in Canada, Autumn, 2002 by Mark Russom

Peter Elyakim Taussig "The Art of the Fugue" Crystal Musk MS 102.

Take Johann Sebastian Bach's polyphonic masterpiece, The Art of the Fugue, add to it the modern technology of a computer-controlled piano, put it in the hands of a veteran concert pianist and this is the result.

Peter Elyakim Taussig, who has spent a career performing with notable conductors and recording volumes of chamber music with the CBC, now finds himself diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome and osteoarthritis in his right hand, thus curtailing his concert activities. Taking a page from Glenn Gould, Taussig has looked to electronic technology for new ways to record and present classical music.

Along comes Yamaha, who had created the Disklavier PRO: essentially an acoustic concert grand piano that can be controlled by a computer. Think of it as a modem-day player piano, rather than a computer trying to sound like a piano. Using the Disklavier, Taussig was able to record his performance in stages, using only his left hand. Then, using additional software, he applied further modifications, such as articulation and phrasing, to the music. In a piece with as many distinct voices as The Art of the Fugue, this was an invaluable tool. The end product is a recording that truly illustrates the art of the fugue.